Too Many Nights
by TheLoverOfFanfics
Summary: After Rick leaves Earth, Morty doesn't know how to handle himself. It's up to Summer to save her brother and get Rick back.
1. Waking Up

**First Rick and Morty fanfic piece. Criticism welcome! Thanks for reading!**

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Morty walked into his kitchen and grabbed some orange juice. He slowly and mechanically poured it into a glass and finally popped three ice cubes in. He sipped it as he got out some Strawberry Smiggles, the last of it, and shook it into a bowl.

"Morty? What are you doing here?" Asked Summer. She sounded tired and defeated, not a hint of defiance or sarcasm in her voice. She did, however, keep looking down at her phone. She had gotten a new and better one after Jerry had gotten a job. It was his gift to her, since he had given everyone in the family something. Beth had gotten a new set of wine glasses and an expensive bottle of wine. Morty got a tool set.

All Morty done since Rick left was hang out in the garage. At first, the family hadn't been worried and considered it to be grief over Rick leaving them. But after a month, they decided that he wanted to be like Rick. They provided him with a tool set, so that he could tinker with some of Ricks things. After that, Morty practically lived in that garage. He took all of the things from Ricks room (and a few from his own) to the garage. He was up all night and asleep most of the day.

Today was different. Today, Morty woke up early, but not because he had slept well the night before. Because Morty had gotten drunk the night before.

Morty had broken down. He knew Rick wouldn't have wanted him to drink, but Morty couldn't help himself. His life had no vigor, no meaning after Rick had left. He wanted to feel close to Rick, so he went up to Ricks room and snuck down a bottle of Toasted Carmel Whiskey. He puked a bit in his mouth at first, cursing his weak stomach.

But as the night went on, Morty found it easier and easier to down the syrupy, burning liquid. He eventually passed out with his head on the workbench. When he woke up the next morning, it was because of his splitting headache. Hangovers were a bitch.

"Summer, could you be a sport and c-close those blinds over there?" Grumbled Morty.

Summer's eyes narrowed. She surveyed him face. He looked horrible. Morty had dark circles under his eyes and was much paler than before.

"Morty, I may not be grandpa Rick, but I know a hangover when I see it." Said Summer darkly yet somewhat nonchalantly as she forced the curtains closed.

Morty froze. "Summer, it was only this time, I swear. Please don't snitch on me." Morty quietly pleaded.

"No, not this time. But this better be a one time deal, or next time you'll be in huge trouble." Summer paused with a look of pain on her face. This wasn't how she wanted her family to turn out. "I'm not mad Morty, just disappointed. Rick would be too."

Morty stopped and was sorry, but only for a moment. "Don't talk about Rick. Ricks an asshole. He left us and he's not coming back, ok? He's dead to me." _Just don't think about it._

Summer sighed, poured herself a cup of coffee, and headed out the door.

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 **Soooo was it good? Too much? Things will get better as more chapters come in, so stay tuned!**


	2. Forget About Me

**Sorry that the last chapter was so short and vague, this one is going to be WAY longer and more interesting too! [Trigger warning: suicide attempt]**

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Summer walked slowly to her car. She hadn't been sleeping well ever since Rick had left. Summer had never loved someone the way she loved Rick, not even with Jerry did she feel that close to. Jerry didn't trust her like Rick did. Even if Rick had treated her like a nuisance, he at least did things with her, especially when she got hurt.

Summer stepped into the car, but instead of starting it, she reached for a wallet, and stared at the pictures she had taken. One was of her and Ethan, one of her and her mother, and one was of her, Morty and Rick with a Smoopidoop. In each one she looked happy, but the only difference was, only one had changed her outlook on the universe, on the greater scheme of things.

Summer sighed and started to drive to work. She had gotten a job at a pizzeria. Pizza now came with many different alien toppings, as well as alien sodas, such as Slurm. Summer was wearing an emerald green sweater with black jeans. She had also fixed her hair in a bun. Summer pulled up to the pizzeria and clocked in.

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Morty watched Summer pull out of the driveway and finished his cereal. He stopped in the hallway, staring at the photo of him and Rick that day at hamster in butt world. What would make Rick just leave like that? Didn't he understand that every Morty needed a Rick. _Yes, that's right. A Morty without a Rick has no place in this world._ A tear fell from Morty, everything from the time Rick had left had been horrible for Morty, even if he was traumatized on his adventures. Rick was his only friend, the only one who understood him.

Morty knew what he had to do. He would have to leave a note, but what would he say? This was completely out of nowhere. He began to write in a notebook with a purple pen.

 _Dear Family,_

 _I'm so sorry this happened, but I don't know what else to do. I have no use in this world. Rick was the only good thing in my life, even if I wasn't for him. I love you guys, please, forget about me like you forgot about Rick._

 _~Morty_

Morty folded the paper in his pocket and sauntered downstairs. He wasn't in a rush. He went back upstairs and grabbed three pill bottles. Two were Prozac and Xanax for his mother, and the last was his dad's heart meds. He went into Ricks room and grabbed a bottle of Vodka, Jameson and tequila. Morty went downstairs to the garage. He sat at the workbench, placing his things on the counter. He opened the Jameson bottle, raising in the air.

"Hope you find what you're looking for Rick." Muttered Morty.

The boy downed a handful of pills and drank. By the time he had mostly finished that bottle, he started on the next two, but he now only had about a bottle of pills left. His limbs felt heavy, his heartbeat grew irregular, and his mind was cloudy. _I'll miss you Rick, not that that matters. You're .Back._ Morty was unconscious as he fell to the ground, bringing down with him the booze and the pills. The bottles shattered, mixing the alcohol with the vomit from the previous morning.

" Shit!" Summer said just above a whisper. She had forgotten her phone back at the house. _I can use the payphone and ask Morty to drop it off for me. It's not like the kid has better things to do._ Thought Summer. She wondered what Morty was doing while she waited for him to pick up. No answer. She tried again. No answer. Summer grew impatient but slightly worried at the same time.

The red jumped in her white jeep which was in nice condition. She stopped at a red light as soon as she turned onto the road. "Oh god, I hope he hasn't been drinking again." Summer said solemnly, frowning at both herself and at the state Morty was in. It turned green and she very well floored it.

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Morty's first thought was pain. A burning pain, in every part of his body. He thought he heard his mother crying, but he really couldn't process anything in his mind. Blackness blanketed him again.

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"I just can't believe it." Summer confessed. "We need him. We can't loose Morty too." A fresh batch of tears welled up inside Summer and swallowed hard. Her phone buzzed and she hung up. After what had happened with Tammy, Summer really hadn't been talking to any of her "friends" at school.

"Oh honey, it's ok. The important thing is that we didn't loose him sweetie. He's going to be okay, we'll get him help as soon as he's better." Consoled Beth. Beth always seemed to carry the family's emotional baggage in situations like this. Who could blame her though? That's how she grew up, her father shunning her emotional needs seemed to enable her to keep them locked away to make room for her family.

Summer looked over at Morty. _God he looks worse than Grandpa Rick._ She walked over to him. He had machines all over him, checking every second for his health. That comforted Summer. She touched his hand lightly, but then noticed that a piece of paper sticking out of his pocket.

Confused, Summer pulled it out gently. She began to read, and dropped the paper out of shock. She put her hands over her faces and sobbed. Beth rushed over. "Honey, what-" Summer pointed to the paper. Beth read through it, and hugged her daughter.

"Mom? I have to find Rick. Morty needs him, now more than ever." Said Summer. There was conviction and revenge in her voice. Beth looked up, holding her daughter by the shoulders.

"I-I understand. But Summer, you have to be careful! I can't loose both of you." Beth warned. The blonde woman cleared her face of any mascara. "I love you honey."

"I love you too Mom." Beth hugged Summer and Summer glanced at her unconscious brother lying in his hospital bed. "I'm going to get you better, Morty. Whatever it takes, you'll get better. I promise."

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 **End of the chapter. Any comments on what you think should happen next is welcome.**


	3. Holograms

**Okay this chapter is either going to be super long or super short. Either way, enjoy!**

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Summer drove home with blind determination. _What am I supposed to do? How do I find Grandpa? He's probably half way across the galaxy, buying slutty aliens a round of God knows what kind of alcohol, but still managing to get hammered himself. Jesus that man is beyond selfish. It's almost like he meant to leave just after we had a conversation about how much he meant to us, about how we loved him._

Summer wiped a stray tear from her face as she drove down the street. There were now billboards everywhere, half of them in some untranslatable alien language. She quickly glanced at one billboard that looked older, certainly before Earth became a part of the Galactic Federation. It read, "Private Investigator, will find anyone, anywhere." Summer stopped. It may have not been reliable, seeing that there were now WAY more "people" to find, but it was her only hope.

She quickly scribbled the phone number at the bottom of the board on a napkin from the pizzeria she worked at. Summer researched the address on google maps, and was on her way to finding Rick.

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 _Knock Knock Knock_

"Yeah yeah come in." Yancy called. Summer walked in.

"I was wondering if you could find my Grandpa Rick. He's been missing for about a month and a ha-"

"Just fill out these forms, bring me the most recent pictures and come back tomorrow, okay? Okay now get out." Growled the detective. Summer frowned and was about to retaliate, but had no choice other than to leave and do as she was instructed.

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The next morning, Summer wore her red v-neck sweater and dark blue skinny jeans with her hair in a back braid. She called in sick to work, throwing a few fake coughs in just for dramatic effect. She planned to drop off the files and pop in for a quick visit to Morty with her mom. She grabbed the papers, and realized she had forgotten a picture of Rick.

Summer looked around on her phone, but found nothing. Just picture of her and her friends she worked so hard to make and retain. Summer frowned at herself for throwing it all away just because Rick had left, but shook it off. Suddenly, she remembered the picture in her wallet. It was her only picture of Rick, but she had no choice.

Summer laid down the picture in the papers and headed out the door.

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Summer knew something was wrong as soon as she pulled onto the street. People were gathered around the San Francisco styled duplex building. It was in ashes. Patches of fire were scattered here and there upon the blackened wood of the dead house.

All of Summer's hopes vanished. She ran out of the car and pushed past the people. They gave her dirty looks, but she didn't notice. The girl ran up to the detective who was lying on a stretcher, unconscious. She was frantic and anxious, people were giving her strange looks, others of pity.

"Is he going to be ok? What happened?" Summer asked a tired paramedic woman.

"He's going to be fine, just as long as he doesn't have that much smoke in his lungs. Apparently the fire was started by a stray cigarette. I'd say he'll been in the hospital for, oh, about three to four months. If he's lucky." The woman turned back and once again began the task of easing the stretcher into the ambulance.

Summer nodded and turned back to drive and get some coffee. _What luck._ Thought Summer dryly.

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Summer had soup at her favorite vegan restaurant, although she really didn't have much of an appetite. All of the sudden, a hologram appeared in front of Summer.

A hologram of Rick.

"Su/er! Sum/r! It/ me, Ri/k!" It said, although it was clearly a very poor hologram that shorted frequently.

"Rick?!" Cried Summer.

"Liste/n Su/mer. I'm in jai/l! Hel/p me Sum/er!" The hologram disappeared. Jail? Summer looked around at the people and aliens staring at her in bewilderment.

Summer rushed out of the establishment, not leaving a tip, which ticked off the waiter who had been checking out Summer.

 _I need to find Dad._

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 **So I was thinking that since Jerry works at the ministry that he'll have access to info on Rick**. **Tell me what you thought!**


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